Gelo's new tank

[tsinkoy]

Thanks to Russ, I have been able to pinpoint the exact parts that I need to make my plumbing work. My previous trips to HD haven't been fruitful, but today, I was able to obtain two important pieces for my plumbing. I got two barbed male adaptors for my planned flow regulator.

Now, I only need a couple of elbow barbs and a ball valve, some clamps, and those egg crates, so I can start cycling with my sump. Hopefully, I'll get some things done by the end of the week.

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In other news, my "live" rock are now starting to look like real live rock. When I bought the main rock (big rock), it didn't seem like there was a lot of coralline on it. Now I'm wondering if it was as "live" as I thought it was.

Here are a couple of photos of some of my rocks, with some growth on them. Please let me know if they look right.

Thanks!

-Gelo

 

[masterswimmer]

My pleasure.

The rock looks like it's showing signs of life. Remember, you will go through an expected algae bloom. So don't be surprised, it's normal. That's when you'll want to add your cleanup crew.

Good job getting the plumbing together and posting pix. The photo's help a lot.

Russ

 

[tsinkoy]

I set up the plumbing in my sump today and I starting running last night. I stopped running it today though because I'm afraid it might overflow.

Some thoughts and questions on the plumbing and the set-up:

* working with vinyl tubing is a bit difficult. The tubing i came with was coiled, so it acquired some memory. I think I will take it apart tonight and heat it up with hot tap water to make it easier to work with.

* the Quiet One 3000 that I have might be a little too powerful as a return pump. Either that, or my HOB overflow is not working up to what it's rated for. I will let it run longer this weekend and see.

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pictures to follow

 

[tsinkoy]

pictures!

I have updated my plumbing, and now I know what I did wrong with it.

I placed the ball valve (where I had it originally) on the line leading up to the return after the T with the overflow line. Common sense should have told me that since there was almost 0 head pressure on the overflow line, all the water would be pushed towards that line. But no, I was resistant to change, and didn't bother changing anything.

Here are photos of the set-up.

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Right now, I have a plug on the overflow line (from the return pump) to restrict flow so I get flow on the return line into the tank. I am planning on moving the ball valve from the return line to the overflow line.

Any thoughts? Anything I'm doing wrong?

 

[masterswimmer]

Right now, I have a plug on the overflow line (from the return pump) to restrict flow so I get flow on the return line into the tank. I am planning on moving the ball valve from the return line to the overflow line.

Any thoughts? Anything I'm doing wrong?

DO NOT RESTRICT YOUR FLOW FROM YOUR OVERFLOW.......not sure if I was clear about that. DO NOT RESTRICT YOUR FLOW FROM YOUR OVERFLOW. Ok, now I feel better.

If you want to restrict or adjust flow, you ALWAYS do it on the return side. Reason being, the return pump is always going to return the same gph. If you restrict the overflow with a ball valve or gate valve, you can have a flood. Plain and simple. Leave the ball valve where it is.

Actually, explain the plug on your overflow. I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean.

hth,
Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

It's tough to see in the pix, but, do you have your overflow plumbed into a 'T' in your return line?

Nope, I see it better in pic #1 in post 24. The 'T' is returning excess water from your return pump to the second chamber in your sump. That's fine.

R

 

[tsinkoy]

Hey Russ. I'm not restricting the overflow line. I meant the overflow on the return line. I basically split the flow from the return pump into two since I don't want that much flow into my main tank.

The overflow from the main tank is not restricted. AT ALL.

Thanks. (I kinda panicked there for a moment though).

 

[masterswimmer]

Leave the ball valve where it is. If you try to restrict the excess return with a ball valve on that end of the 'T' it will almost be useless. The water will want to take the path of least resistance. That would just be straight up to the tank. If you leave the restriction (ball valve) on the line it's on, it'll force the water to the excess line and it'll do exactly what you want it to do. You'll have more control.

Hope that was clear. Kinda confused myself there :lol2:

R

 

[tsinkoy]

It's been almost a month since I started cycling my tank. On Saturday, Partobe and I made our way to Aquatic Express where they tested my water parameters.

Everything checked out ok, including my nitrates, although the pH was on the lower side of the range (at 8.0). I decided it was time to add some livestock into the tank to help the cycle move on.

I got one Ocellaris, three turbo snails and two hermit crabs.

Here's a full tank shot.

And the A. ocellaris.

He's been eating, and exploring the tank. He looks a little lonely though, but I will wait for a week or so more before adding any more.

Thanks to Alex, Parnell and Kiwi at Aquatic Express! Patrick too.

For now, all I need are kick-ass (cheap) lights.

 

[tsinkoy]

post-Frag Swap set-up

So I was at the Frag Swap yesterday, met a lot of people, and spent a lot more money than the number of people I met.

I'd like to thank Leo (and wife) from NaCl-H2O for the Atlantic Pygmy Angel, the feather dusters and the Discomosa. Also, to the MR committee for the Kenya Tree and the numerous hitchhikers on the rock.

Here are some photos of my set-up now. I spent the whole of last night staring at it.

Right Island

Left Island

The Atlantic Pygmy Angel and the Discomosa + rock.

A close-up of the Kenya Tree, one of the Feather Dusters and the Pygmy Angel.

And finally, a full-tank shot.

 

[partobe]

Gelo!!! It looks Great!!!
I may be going to aquatic express tomorrow do you need anything? Did the angel eat the Nori I gave you? Or the flake? Let me know if you want me to pick anything up for you. I love the rock work!! Some of it looks familiar I wonder why lol

 

[tsinkoy]

new photos of aquarium inhabitants

It's been a while since I posted here about my tank.

I think I've been less than vigilant about care for the tank, but it seems like it's thriving. I do, however, have hair algae (or at least I think it's hair algae) growing on the rocks.

Here are photos of my Kenya Tree, mushrooms, and frogspawn. These are under T5s with actinic and a power compact.

And I have this unidentified growth on the rock that holds the Kenya tree. I don't know what it is, but it seems to be a forest of small trees with arms. Here's a not so clear photo.

Photos of algae growth pending.

 

[NYreefNoob]

few questions for oyu, why do you have sand in the area of your drain ? you dont need it there, second do you plan to add anymore live rock ? asking on rock cause as you add it , it will cause the tank to go through mini cycles again, lookin good though

 

[fishguttz]

Great start!

Did I miss something or wasn't this supposed to be a FOWLR tank? (Fish Only with Live Rock) I see a few pieces of coral already. Not that I care, just being a pain.

 

[tsinkoy]

few questions for oyu, why do you have sand in the area of your drain ? you dont need it there, second do you plan to add anymore live rock ? asking on rock cause as you add it , it will cause the tank to go through mini cycles again, lookin good though

I have a HOB overflow. I don't have sand on it.

Right now, I'm not adding any more rock to it. And you're right, any addition will cause a mini-cycle, if your system can't handle the addition.

 

[tsinkoy]

Great start!

Did I miss something or wasn't this supposed to be a FOWLR tank? (Fish Only with Live Rock) I see a few pieces of coral already. Not that I care, just being a pain.

The tank's been running 7 months now, and even though it was supposed to be a FOWLR, I couldn't resist getting the soft corals at the last frag swap. :-(

But they're still alive!

:splitspin

 

[partobe]

Hi Gelo
The tank looks great!!! Love the colors of the corals! Did you look up the rabbit fish? That might help with the hair algae problem but to really take care of it you will prob need to get a ro/di unit. I know you only have two fish so its prob not because your feeding too much. Do you add anything to feed your corals? If so you really prob dont need to and that would help feed the hair algae. Let me know if you want to go fish shopping I would def tag along if I'm not busy. My yellow sided wrasse is doing better he came out and ate today. I wish he would stop trying to jump out.
Patrick

 

[tsinkoy]

Here's a new FTS! it's a crappy camera phone pic, but you get the idea.

And my clowns at play. The false perculas have started hosting on my frogspawn, and at night, one of them goes into a hole beside the frogspawn to sleep!

I hope to have photos of Awilda's frags soon!